Arizona’s New Coercive Control Law: What It Means for Your Custody Case

Arizona just passed a coercive control law, and the family bar, the bench, and the litigants are all figuring it out in real time. Billie Tarascio sits down with returning guest Dr. Cocchiola to look at what actually happened in Connecticut, where a nearly identical statute has been on the books since 2023. The answer matters for anyone facing an Arizona divorce, a custody fight, or a family court judge who has to sort out who holds the power in a relationship.

Dr. Cocchiola is a therapist, expert witness, and coercive control researcher with almost four decades in the field. She testified in support of Connecticut's Jennifer's Law, trains judges and court professionals nationally through AFCC, runs a support group for male survivors, and co-authored a collection of survivor accounts from inside the family court system. She also lived it, which shapes how she talks about children, attachment, and what recovery actually takes.

In this episode:

- Understand why coercive control sits underneath domestic violence instead of beside it

- Learn how Connecticut's Jennifer's Law has played out three years in

- Spot the abuser traits that read as calm and credible in a courtroom

- See how abusers flip the script and file coercive control claims against protective parents

- Recognize post-separation escalation as the clearest signal courts overlook

- Question the automatic 50/50 custody model and who it actually serves

- Protect attachment when a child aligns with the controlling parent

- Weigh the real risks of reunification camps and forced repair therapy

- Document patterns with parenting apps and written records that hold up

- Negotiate with an abuser who needs to believe the outcome hurt you

- Rebuild your child's sense of safety as the parent who repairs

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Coercive Control and Domestic Violence

02:43 Understanding Coercive Control as a Trajectory of Behavior

05:46 The Impact of Coercive Control Legislation

08:18 Challenges in Family Court and the Weaponization of Laws

11:13 The Role of Children in Coercive Control Dynamics

13:58 Systemic Issues in Family Court and Child Safety

16:49 Expert Testimony and the Nuances of Coercive Control

19:47 The Complexity of Parenting Time Decisions

24:01 The Role of Court Professionals in Family Dynamics

27:02 Challenges in Family Court and Child Safety

28:44 The Importance of Documentation and Boundaries

31:27 Understanding Power Dynamics in Relationships

34:41 Therapeutic Interventions and Their Complexities

38:58 Advice for Family Law Professionals and Litigants

Modern Law helps Arizona families through divorce, custody, and high-conflict cases across Phoenix, Mesa, and Scottsdale. Call 480-649-2905 or visit mymodernlaw.com to talk with our team.